From bad news on the injury front to good news: Brian Cashman told ESPN New York that things are going well with Derek Jeter's rehabilitation from ankle surgery, and that the Yankees' captain is on track to be back for Opening Day. "It's all in the doctors' hands right now," said Cashman. "But he'll be ready on Opening Day." As far as I know, this is the first time anyone in the Yankees' organization has issued such a definitive statement on Jeter's schedule, which is a good sign.

Though Jeter hsan't been cleared to resume baseball activities, he is out of a walking boot and has been running on an underwater treadmill and biking. Casey Close, his agent, says that this won't be a big deal, as Jeter typically doesn't begin preparing for Spring Training until late January anyway. "His timetable would have been relatively the same as it is now," Close said.

Now the Yankees just have to hope there are no significant lingering effects on Jeter's production as a result of the injury.